Kia ora Minister Parker,

Your government has spent $8 billion on rail since 2017 and you made a solid investment by purchasing new trains for the Capital and Wairarapa Connections. It’s a start, but we, the people, want much more!

We, the undersigned, now need your commitment to restore a nationwide passenger rail system. This includes first fast-tracking the “easy” regional routes recommended by the transport and Infrastructure Select Committee: Auckland–Wellington; Auckland–Tauranga; Napier–Wellington; and an extension of the Capital Connection service to Feilding. We also need you to go beyond these routes. The people of Whangārei, Rotorua, New Plymouth, Gisbourne, Picton, Christchurch, Greymouth, Dunedin, and Invercargill also deserve passenger rail.

You have the mandate to do this, because 97% of submitters to the select committee were in favour of restoring passenger rail. We say: government, just get on with it. Instead of spending years paying overseas experts to do expensive cost benefit reports, buy the trains and electrify the tracks. Now.

Restoring passenger rail will give New Zealanders what we are asking for, and what other countries have had for decades: a low carbon travel alternative that will bring us together, create jobs and reduce our fastest growing emissions sector.

Be brave, Minister. Give us your government’s commitment to restoring regional passenger rail throughout New Zealand, now.

Ngā mihi

Restore Passenger Rail